


Dominoes

by lizzledpink



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-10-31
Updated: 2011-11-09
Packaged: 2017-10-25 02:56:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 13,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/270965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizzledpink/pseuds/lizzledpink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because the UG just can't leave Neku Sakuraba alone, or perhaps the other way around. A collections of drabbles and scenes from the post-game.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pencil Set

Neku's mother never paid much attention to him, honestly, but one night she came home and peeked into his bedroom, and something caught her eye.

"When did you start collecting pins?" She asked quietly.

Neku put down his pencil and turned to face her, blinking. Then he smiled slightly, an unfamiliar expression to her, and shrugged. "Just a thing I picked up about a week ago."

"Any reason?"

"Nah," Neku replied. "Just needed something to do."

"You're using that pencil set you got for your birthday," she said, her tone one of surprise. "You haven't picked it up once."

"Didn't feel like drawing," Neku remarked, turning back. "Now, I do."

"Okay," she said. Neku was already absorbed in his doodling again, eraser tapped to the tip of his lip in thought. He seemed peaceful, serene. A slightly more mature Neku, perhaps grown into himself a bit more. When had that happened? Neku's mother had a fleeting sense of regret, but there was no use dwelling on it. "Need me to get you anything?"

"I'm alright," Neku replied absently. "Thanks."

Unsettled, and not sure if she was happy or sad, she closed the door. She had missed something, something big and important, and something had changed. She should have noticed, but she didn't.

But it was okay.


	2. Presents

Neku Sakuraba was okay.

The Game had been cruel and long and it had hurt, but he was okay. Scared, a bit, that Taboo Noise might jump at him from a corner. Sometimes he woke up and felt a sharp, phantom pain on his hand, right where a timer would be. He was a bit twitchy and a bit nervous, and had taken to wandering the streets of Shibuya a bit more than he probably should, but on the whole, he was alright. And in some ways, he was even better than he had been before the game: he had friends. He had an open mindset.

The world felt bigger. It was scarier, yeah, but it was just a bit more wonderful than he had given it credit for. And for that, yeah. He was definitely okay.

Still, he wasn't about to forget.

He'd never collected pins before, but shortly after returning to the RG, he'd started seeing them everywhere. People would leave them in the streets by accident. They would appear in shops, cheaply priced and plenty. He still had many pins from his time in the Game; he had woken up and they had been stuffed into his pockets as always. They weren't useful to him, not anymore. They didn't work in the RG.

But just in case, Neku decided to keep a few. He took a Yoshimitsu pin, his favorite blade attack, a Lolita Bat pin for a good Negative Psych, and the Cure Drink pin given to him by Rhyme that first week. He also kept the Player Pin. Maybe it wouldn't work for him, anymore, but he might as well wear it and hope that Players couldn't read his mind while he did.

Well, admittedly, it wasn't necessarily Players reading his mind that he was worried about. Besides... it was kind of sentimental. A reminder of what he had been.

Shiki thought it was a little silly. She, Beat, and Rhyme were dead set on moving past the Game, and thought they couldn't do that if they were still focused on pins all the time. Neku, however, wasn't ready to let go. Not just yet.

"As long as you remember to live," Shiki said. "Promise me you'll keep living and smiling and having fun, Neku. If you can do that, then it's fine. Do what you want."

"When I want to, and how?" he joked back, finishing the quote from CAT. She knocked him lightly over the head, and they fell apart into giggles at once.

Yeah, that was another change. Beat and Rhyme were good friends, and he'd met Eri now, and she was a sweetheart, too. It was hilarious, how he and Shiki had stumbled and come to an agreement, finally, on how they'd met at Hachiko - without explaining the whole dead thing, that is.

Shiki... Shiki was Shiki. She was sweet and wonderful and just a bit... special. Being around her was enough to brighten his mood by some ridiculous margin at any time. He didn't know when it had started, but sometime since the Game's end they had taken to holding hands around each other, sitting on a wall, chatting, Shiki's feet swinging in the air and Neku rolling his eyes. While he would meet up now and again with Beat and Rhyme, it was Shiki he made sure to see every other day, Eri in tow or not. Neku didn't exactly know what he and Shiki were doing, but that was okay. It was right, whatever it was.

And aside from that, everything was just... normal. Everything was great, and Neku reveled in it. School was boring, but it was school. There were people around him, and their chatter, once cacophonous and exclusive, now soothed him. People, doing people things, living people lives. They were nice. Sometimes they were cruel, but most of the time, people were just happy, hanging out with friends and complaining about homework.

For once, Neku felt like he could slip to the outside, looking in, and he saw just how beautiful things kinda were.

And in his pockets, he kept his pins, constantly adding to his collection - and his collection grew, and shrunk, and constantly changed. He never kept a pin for very long.

He would leave them next to known walls or tuck them away beside a too-familiar decal on the side of a shop. Just because he was in the RG, didn't mean the UG wasn't still there. Maybe there wasn't even a Game on, but it didn't matter, because the Game would begin again in another week, and then, hopefully, his pins would be found.

Two weeks after, he looked in a spot where he had tucked away a Reaper-level pin, right by Hachiko. It was gone, and in its place, there was a tiny flower. Maybe, just maybe, a thank you.

Good enough.


	3. Widen

I've been out of the Game for four weeks now. Shiki would yell at me if she heard me say that, scolding me for hanging on so much, but I can't really help it. Shiki's world changed, letting her see that she was a better, brighter person. But I've had my entire viewpoint changed. About many things. Everything. It's too big not to count by.

The last class I have on Thursday afternoons is always math, and usually it's pretty dull. I've never been too bad with math, particularly when it comes to Geography, so when the teacher goes over review stuff, I just get bored. Luckily, I brought my pencils today. I haven't done that before. I do all my art at home, or in random spots around Shibuya. Not school - too oppressive, too closed. But... I don't feel that way about school anymore. So why not?

I let my pencil fly. My thoughts are all over the place. Thinking about pins, thinking

A voice startles me right out of my work. "Shit, are you in a class?"

"Wha?" I looks down at the paper, and for the first time realise what I've drawn. It's Mr. H, gazing nowhere in particular, leaning against the counter of WildKat with a steaming cup in his hand.

The student to my left peers over my shoulder. I'm doing my best to remember his name. Something with a Y? Dammit. He says, "I didn't know you could draw like that. Hell, I didn't know anybody could draw like that!"

"Oh. Thanks. I... yeah, I draw, sometimes. When I feel like it," I say, a bit shyly. Nobody ever talks to me here - maybe it's the headphones or the dark emo urges, but I don't really have those now. At least, not much.

"It's cool stuff. Your name's Neku, right?"

"Yeah. Sorry, I don't know yours."

The other student smiles cheekily at me. "I only know yours because I pay attention during roll. I'm Yuki."

"Neku. I'd shake your hand, but the teacher would probably notice," I note.

"Nah, he's too absorbed in Hero's Theorem to bother."

"Is Hero's what he's on now?" I glance up at the chalkboard, and find out that Yuki's right. "Huh. I think he skipped a step there."

"I don't think he even cares about math. We should get some kind of math nut in here to teach, you know?"

I snort quietly. "I've met a math nut. Liked to recite SOHCAHTOA for no reason and called people Yoctograms if they piss him off. I really wouldn't recommend him for any kind of teaching position."

"That's hilarious! What the hell is a yoctogram?"

"Small enough to be atomic sized, I think."

Yuki chuckles. "Sounds hilarious."

At the time, it was just freaky, but looking back, Yuki's right. Pi-Face was... funny. "You have no idea."

The bell rings, startling us both. "Catch you later, Neku?"

"Ah... sure. See you."

Yuki smiles and flies right out of the classroom, a whirlwind all his own. It takes me a bewildered moment to realise what just happened. In the space of ten minutes, I think I've made a friend.

...Neat.

But I have places to be. I can brag to myself about this accomplishment some other time. I scoop up my bag and stuff my pencil into my pocket carefully, and, my notebook tucked under one hand, I head on out.


	4. Balance and a Lack Thereof

Fuck.

I realize the ground's about to hit me before it does. I whip my arm around in front of me, and let it take the brunt of the fall, but _damn_ , falling is not fun. My elbow gets all scraped and I feel like a doofus. Again. Worse yet, I hear all too familiar laughter in the background.

"Phones, you gotta move with the board, not against it!" Beat shouts, still laughing. "You almost had it, there!"

"When you said I'd fall on my ass sixty million times while I tried this out, I thought you were exaggerating," I snark back. "You couldn't have warned me in a way I could take more seriously?"

"What, and miss out on the fun? No way, yo!"

Oh for God's sake, I think to myself. He's a sadist. A born sadist with a complex. A sadism complex. How can anybody _possibly_ find this fun? I scowl at the skateboard, still nursing my bruised arm with one hand. The damned thing just doesn't want me to ride it, I swear.

"Forget it. I'm not cut out for this. I'm lacking some kind of... grace," I mutter. I'm being childish, but the skateboard hates me. I think I'm entitled.

"It's not about grace," Beat scolds. "It's about living."

"I thought it was about rocking from side to side until you slip right off."

Beat shakes his head. "Give it here," he orders.

With a sigh, I walk over. At least he picked a narrow alley for me to try this in. Nobody ever peeks in and watches around here. Not a single soul is around to see my complete failure at something as simple as moving on a tiny _thing_ with wheels.

In a single deft motion Beat takes the skateboard from my hands and flips it to the ground. Almost in the same motion he pushes off with one foot, his feet somehow already finding their balance. A grin slides across his face as he whips right by me, wicked fast.

"Follow me!"

I dutifully run after, and I don't regret it one bit.

I've seen Beat on a skateboard before, of course. He uses it to get around everywhere, except when he has to slow up for Rhyme. I've even seen him battle with it, not that I care to remember much of that. He even battled with his board when he faced the Noise, but that was in the other dimension and I was a little preoccupied with my own dimension, taking as many of the creatures apart with my psychs as I could, thanks.

But this was the first time I think I'd ever seen him let go and just skate however the hell he wanted, not for transport or survival. And it was wicked.

He practically danced along the edges of sidewalks, sliding the board along them with a rough sound - I suddenly knew where the word "grinding a rail" had come from. Then Beat jumped off, performing some kind of jacked up _flick_ with his toes or something, and the board flipped all the way around beneath him before it fell again.

And on it went: from corner to corner, slide to slide. I had to run to keep up, though Beat often turned around to make sure I had the chance. He took me all the way across the city, and though I couldn't do it myself, yeah, I felt it, just a bit - Beat was right. Maybe it wasn't that way for all skateboarders, and maybe not for me, but for Beat, it was living. That was what skateboarding was. Beat and his board were as much in sync as any pair of players in fusion I'd ever seen, and Beat was grinning, on cloud nine.

Somewhere in that insane journey I started grinning, too. How could I not? The energy was infectuous.

Around Shibyuku Stationside he began to slow at last, and then he came to a stop right at Hachiko, board angled partway into the air. "That's how you ride. Got it?"

I laugh. "Got it? Beat, I don't think anybody can ever get it the way you do. But I think I see what you mean. Not much, but a bit."

"It'll hafta do," Beat says with a nod. "How's about food?"

"Sounds delicious," says a tiny little voice out of nowhere. Beat jumps nearly a foot in his air, his face as comical as ever when he's surprised. I can't help but snicker, but I won't admit to jumping a bit myself. Nope.

"Rhyme, why you gotta do that?"

"Why not?" she says impishly. "It's fun. So, food? Is Neku paying?"

"I never said -"

"I know, but you will, won't you?"

That kid is just too sweet for her own good. She could talk the devil himself into giving money to charity. "Alright," I reply, "but only if you tell me how you knew we were here."

"I didn't," Rhyme replies. "I guessed. I knew you were going to fall, and that Beat was going to get annoyed, and you were going to end up skateboarding all across Shibuya. From there, it was a matter of wondering whether Beat would prefer Mexican Dog or Stationside for lunch."

That makes as much sense as anything. I roll my eyes, but smile slightly. She laughs back, while Beat continues to grumble about smart sisters and "bein' predictable."

The sibling bickering continues from there, and I trail behind. Maybe next time I'll fail a bit less at skateboarding... or maybe not. Still - gotta start somewhere, right? Here, this, well, it wasn't half bad.


	5. The Relationship Between a Thing and Another Thing

You won't say hi. Not yet.

He hasn't forgiven you. You don't think he ever will, and you still haven't quite accepted that fact. But for now, everything is very simple, very nice, and you're content to just sort of keep tabs on everything. Sometimes in person, sometimes not.

Ha, and he called _Shiki_ the stalker? In all honesty, you probably qualify for some level of pedophile at this point as well, but everybody your age is just so... dull. So who cares?

So you keep watch.

Little things change, small things stay the same: Neku is alive. His world is in constant fluidity, in unending motion. You forgot what it was like on this level. You had been so entangled in the fabric of your own design that you had forgotten just how gorgeous a single stitch, half-unraveled and twined, could be. It's not even necessarily the fact that it's Neku. It's more about the way things flow together, harmonizing and breaking all at once.

It's hard to describe, but it's soothing.

When you can't keep watch, or when you don't, there are other ways. Sometimes, not often, but sometimes you will slip into the RG and have a bowl of shio ramen. Your favorite, and his, for the matter. Every now and then you pick up a little conversation with Ken, who tells you about the shenanigans he's seen, and always ends with a little question about when he's going to see the two of you at his restaurant again.

"You two were attached at the hip for that week," he jokes good-naturedly.

"It was for a school project," you lie smoothly. "We had to work together, so, well, we went around everywhere together for a while. I think I got on his nerves. Don't tell him I said that."

"I know, I know, you were never here. You and your secrecy."

If there's anybody you can trust, you think to yourself, it's the man who makes your meals. Ken definitely falls into that category - even if you think, somewhere inside that noodle-wrapped head of this, part of him thinks your story with Neku is a silly teenage romance, being friends, wanting to be more than friends, splitting apart, and someday, reuniting.

It'd be nice to live in a world where things were simple like that, really. But you don't have the luxury. Also, you don't have the capacity for boredom. The tricky nature of your existence does keep things interesting, whatever else.

You see him make his first friend - without the help of the UG, that is. You see him hang out with his other new ones. You watch him grow, just a bit. Learn to smile. Learn to joke.

You see him with Shiki. They're so cute together you think you could put them together with a couple of bunnies and maybe some kittens and it wouldn't be cuter at all. They are practically vomit. They are practically going to make you vomit.

They go to movies. They hang out constantly, chirping back and forth about who knows what. They hold hands everywhere they go. They stay in and Shiki leans on Neku's shoulder and falls right asleep. She drags him out to 104 and forces him to try on a miniskirt. She sews him a classy pair of jeans and he looks good in them. He takes her out to Udagawa and they listen to music together, hanging out by the mural.

It's not a sense of jealousy or possessiveness that drives you, even if those are a few of your ugly and normally prominent traits. Neku's in the RG and has no place with you. You might be a bit of a brat, but you're not so thick that you don't realize something as obvious as that. He has a life to live, and if he wants to live it with Shiki in the most sickeningly adorable way, then you're happy for him. You're hardly about to complain, particularly if it means his art is always going to be so inspired.

But for fuck's sake. This is not a Disney movie. All they ever do is hold hands and go on dates and never leave each other's side, but they don't kiss or try for anything more. They are utterly in love and utterly oblivious to it.

You want to drag Neku off somewhere and knock some sense into him. Or maybe you should just imprint a thought in Shiki's friend's head. Tell her to tell Shiki to make a move already. Better yet, tell Eri to tell Neku to make a move. If it comes from somebody he doesn't even know that well, he'll probably be shocked enough to actually do it.

One time, you almost do it - imprint her, set off the chain of events. But the moment you move your wrist, you feel the weight on your hand. Words sounds in your mind, remembered, unbidden, unwanted.

Your lips curve into smile's mockery. Bitter.

You put your arms back down, and glance at the girl again. You wonder what she's designing now. With Shiki at her side, that girl is most definitely going places, brightning Shibuya up in her own little way. She doesn't need much help to light the spark of imagination within herself. Shiki's very presence does that, most of the time. Closer friends could rarely be found.

With a pat on her head, unfelt, you leave. Enough watching of the mortals, for today. Just because you have a new outlet to waste your free time on, watching your pet humans, doesn't mean there isn't still Composerly stuff to do. Shibuya continues to sew itself back together, and you dutifully will play the part of its seamstress.

And you wait.


	6. Movement in E Major

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter hints at but does not reveal spoilers for the secret reports. Safe to read, but if you haven't read the reports, don't be shocked if you don't fully understand.

When the bell at the door jingles, Mr. H does a funny little half-turn, grinning already.

"Hey, J. Back already -"

It's not Joshua, of course.

Neku gives him an awkward little wave. "Nope," he says. "Wrong favorite customer."

"Phones!" Mr. H replies, his entire face lighting up. "Now, what a surprise! What took you so long? I was almost beginning to miss that orange spiky mess in my cafe!"

"Like hell you were," Neku snarks back. "Still, it looks nice in here. You'd almost think it was never trashed."

Mr. H can only shrug at that. "Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. Amazing what a little help from high places can do, eh? So, how about an espresso? For you, it's the buddy price!"

"Which is?"

"580 yen!"

"...That's always the price," Neku says, a smile twitching at the corner of his lips. "You're relentless."

"But you'll buy a coffee anyway?"

"Fuck you," Neku replies smoothly, but he forks over the money. Mr. H immediately sets to work on the espresso machine, and for a moment - aside from a distinct lack of a silver-haired bastard in the area - it's week two all over again, chilling out. Nothing's changed.

"So... Took you a while to come."

Neku twiddles his thumbs. "Sorry. Needed to sort things out with myself for a while, before I thought I could come back. You know what finally convinced me to drop by?"

"A realization that the inner you is an exhibitionistic crossdresser?" says Mr. H.

"What? Since when were you this... snappy?" asks Neku.

Mr. H chuckles. "I've always been this snappy. I just generally ease people into it. I figure you can handle it by now."

"Anyway." Briefly, Neku wonders who inspired the snarky humor in the other first, Mr. H or Joshua. Figuring it to be a case of the Chicken or the Egg, he drops the subject in his head, and continues. "Nah, that wasn't it. I made a friend."

"What, a real one?"

"No, an imaginary one, Mr. H. Of course a real one. His name's Yuki and he sits next to me in Geometry."

Mr. H tops off the espresso and gives it to Neku, grinning. "Congratulations. You are now a functioning human being. Proud?"

"A little," Neku replies honestly. He moves to take a sip of the coffee, and yanks it away from his lips at once, yelping, his eyes wide. "Shit!"

"Yeah, it's been running hot! You should probably wait for the coffee to cool down a bit," suggest Mr. H.

"And you couldn't have warned me beforehand?"

"That wouldn't be any fun at all."

"Does everybody around me live on a sick sense of humor involving me and bodily injuries?"

Mr. H only grins in reply to that.

"Great."

"So, you made a friend," Mr. H says, smoothly diving back into the conversation with the grace of an elephant. "And that brought you here?"

Neku shrugs. There is a pause before he answers, this time, and Mr. H lets him have it.

"I knew I could face it. I knew that if I talked about the UG, remembered it, I would still be able to continue on," Neku says quietly. "I wasn't sure, before. But I'm making friends. I'm living my life. I'm even doing art again. I haven't drawn since... not since years ago. But heh, I'm already sketching again."

"So you're an artist?"

Neku rolls his eyes. "Why do you think I admired CAT so much? It wasn't just for the message. It was because he inspired me to try. Nothing worked, but I was still trying. I wanted to draw. I didn't manage it, but I wanted to, looking at CAT artwork. And that was important."

Mr. H nods, his smile empty. He asks the inevitable question. " _Admired?_ "

There's no way to soften the brutality of the past tense, Neku thinks.

"...When I woke up, there were files on my phone. Reports," he says. "They explained things. They explained you - don't worry, I won't tell. I know only Josh is supposed to know. But they explained you, and the Game, everything. Including what you are."

"So where does that leave you?"

"I don't know. Where does it leave me?" asks Neku. The look in his eyes is only a little bit lost.

Sanae chooses his words with care. "I think it leaves you where you want to be left. As for me, there's always a chair open for you here, if you want to chat. I could try to explain, but I don't think I really need to. Does this put me where J is? Unforgiven?"

Neku shakes his head. "Josh... did a lot of things. You... did other things. But I understand why, even if certain others might not. In comparison, you only lied to me a little. You didn't try to manipulate me at all. I can forgive you. I don't think I can hero-worship CAT the way I used to, but I'd like to still hang out at his cafe. Maybe even show him a couple drawings, if I get the chance."

"That doesn't sound half bad, Neku."

It's the first time in a long time he's called Neku anything other than 'Phones,' and it probably means something. "I thought so, yeah."

"So, drawings?"

Neku hesitates, but reaches into his bag and pulls out a few sheets of paper, including the sketch from the previous day of Mr. H himself. Mr. H takes one look at them, and starts to smile slowly. He chuckles once.

"These are terrible," he proclaims. "But it's a good start."

Neku groans.

They don't mention that the files were sent to Neku's phone. They don't mention that only one person, the writer of the reports, could have sent them, and they don't mention that some apologies are more silent than the grave.

There is a shift in their songs, and they meet up again, harmonizing in a new way from before. In some ways, less special, but with the opportunity, perhaps, to grow more so.

With a bit of time.


	7. Repairs to Be Made

Can you imagine that there's an entire world in front of your eyes, always there? One you can't see, can't touch, can't feel, but it affects you anyway? Affects your life. Affects the lives around you. Affects everything you've ever known - and you don't even know that it's there.

It's rather hard to fathom, for most people. For many people. I still have trouble accepting it myself, at times. But I know it exists, because there's no way it can't. My best friend in the entire world was there for a while, for a week. Three weeks for me.

People aren't supposed to be able to remember when people are gone in that world. If they come back, we're supposed to forget. But it was longer than a week for me to forget, so it was harder. I remembered feeling pain for three weeks. Regretting something. I thought, for the longest time, that it was my fault that she went there. Then, she came back. I had almost forgotten that she had died, because to the rest of the world, she hadn't.

But it was Shiki. How could I forget?

I wondered where she had gone. I feel bad about it now. I followed her around for a while after she came back, listening in, trying to hear her speak about whatever had made the change. She told me she'd been hanging out at Hachiko when she met her three new friends, and she wasn't lying. Well, mostly. They did meet at Hachiko, I think, but it wasn't exactly under normal circumstances.

It's hard to explain that your best friend and her friends should all be dead, and were dead. But they came back, because when they died, they went to that other world.

Then, they played a Game, and won.

Shiki came back to me. I was overjoyed to see her again, even if I was confused - hadn't I just seen her the day before? My memories were conflicted. Still, the way she threw her arms around me, like she hadn't seen me in ages, convinced me that something had happened.

She came back different, too. Not a bad different. She was still my Shiki, but she returned with a sense of purpose and happiness with her life that I'd never seen in her before. Shiki was always nervous, always self-conscious about herself, always shy. This Shiki was much brighter. Like she finally knew how lovely she was.

When she introduced me to her new friends, it quickly became apparent why. They were quirky, the three of them. The little girl, Rhyme, was an absolute sweetheart. Beat, her brother, had a heart of gold, if a sort of rough demeanor. The last boy, Neku, put me off a bit at first, but then Shiki punched him in the arm, like they'd known each other for ages, and he relaxed, settled, and smiled. A weird kid, for sure, but definitely not a bad one.

Even more obvious, it was the way they looked at each other. Every time Shiki's eyes turned to Neku, they were full of admiration and affection, and the same was true with him. If theirs wasn't a budding romance of some sort in the making, I'll never know what was.

I wish I knew what had happened in that Game. Shiki hasn't told me. She thinks I'm oblivious to the changes in her, or won't question them. I haven't told her about the snippets I've picked up from eavesdropping. I just pretend everything's okay.

Everything is pretty great, actually, so it's not all that hard to do.

But I wish she'd tell me. She used to open up to me about everything, all of it, but while I still feel like she's my best friend, she's hiding this from me. And she might be hiding other things, behind this Game, and I would never know. I want her to let me in.

Does she think I'm going to freak out? Well, I'm already freaked out as it is. Does she think I won't believe her, or won't trust her? I always trust her.

Maybe it's different. Maybe it's Neku she tells everything to, now. We still get along, and we're still close. Whatever else happens, Shiki is my best friend, and my partner in crime. I really couldn't do half the things I do, couldn't live any of my dreams or create amy clothes without her at my side.

I think I'll keep hoping. Someday, if I'm very, very lucky, I think Shiki will tell me. Right now, she needs to pretend the Game never happened and never existed. She needs to get used to living again. So, I'll wait for her. But she does need to tell me, and not just a little bit. I want to hear everything.

Does she notice that when she hugs me, a little tighter than ever before, that I hug back the same?

There were three weeks of my life where Shiki wasn't in them, and it was horrible. My last words to her replayed over and over in my mind.

An accident, they said. She was running somewhere, going fast, and didn't look both ways before crossing the street. Somebody sped ahead right through the light, and slammed into her.

I wonder, sometimes, if it's what I said to her. It was a stupid fight. I told her she wasn't meant to be a designer, and it was true. Her designs are good, but they're not quite inspired enough. Her seams, however, are perfect. I want her to custom make everything for me. I might make the designs, but she's the one who takes them and makes them shine, the one who reminds me which way gravity works and that cloth can't fold over itself sixty times.

But it hurt her, at a time when she was already questioning herself. I knew she was troubled, but I didn't know how to help her.

They say it was an accident, and I believe it. But that doesn't mean that during those three weeks I never looked back and wondered just how accidental it was. Whatever else I know about Shiki, it's that she's careful. She always looks both ways.

I don't understand what happened to my best friend, but I want to. So badly. She's slipping away from me, bit by bit.

How can I make her remember how much I need her at my side?


	8. Friends Within Friends

They meet up at Hachiko as usual right after school. Shiki practically pounces on Neku, chattering away at him about the newest design she and Eri have planned. Neku listens with a content smile, and already Eri knows there's no way in the seven depths of hell she's going to be able to pull her friend away from this particular conversation. With a resigned sigh, Eri looks for another friendly face, and finds it.

"So, where's Beat today?" Eri asks cheerfully, sitting down beside Rhyme on the bench.

"Detention," Rhyme replies easily.

"Detention? What on earth did he do? You look pretty upbeat for knowing Beat's in trouble - excuse the pun."

"I wasn't there, of course, but apparently he got in a fight. My sources tell me Beat was only trying to protect some guy who was getting bullied, so I'm proud of him, not angry. The teachers didn't understand, though. They decided to give detention to both Beat and the other person he fought against," Rhyme answers, frowning. "Not very fair."

Eri frowns. "Are your parents going to be mad?"

"Not if I stick up for him, and I will," Rhyme promises.

"I'm glad you and your brother are so close," says Eri, smiling. "It makes me with I had a sibling I could depend on as much as you and Beat depend on each other."

"You're an only child, like Neku?"

"Yep. It's not lonely, but sometimes I feel like I'm missing out." Eri likes talking with Rhyme. Rhyme doesn't bother with insincerity. Everything she says comes straight from the heart, innocent and questioning, but with a strange wise quality impossible to put a finger on. It's easy to talk to Rhyme about nearly anything.

"So, Shiki's kind of like your sister, yeah?" Rhyme asks. "Almost a twin sister, the way you're really close."

"That's about right."

"Has she told you about the Game yet?" Rhyme's happy tone of voice doesn't falter even a bit and the question is still enough to make Eri freeze.

"...No, she hasn't. I can't even tell if she wants to."

"So you know what it is, then."

Eri bites her lip. "I have my guesses. And good ears. But I want Shiki to tell me herself."

"She might need to come to terms with it herself, first," Rhyme murmurs. "It... none of us talk about it. None of us want to, except maybe Neku. It wasn't good."

"Which is why I'm not pushing, but I still hope she tells me soon. It's tiring pretending I don't understand or don't know, when I do." Eri replies. She smiles at Rhyme. "Not much slips past you, does it?"

Rhyme shrugs. "I wouldn't exactly say that. I just notice things and listen to people. It's not hard."

"You're special, Rhyme."

"Me? Not really."

"No, you are. You just haven't figured out why, yet!" Eri says cheerfully. "Keep at it, alright?"

Rhyme promises, "I'll do my best," and does a little pinky swear with Eri to ensure it.

Neku and Shiki, in front of them, laugh together and bump shoulders together. Rhyme puts her chin in her hands and smiles, watching them. Eri sits back, and wonders just what that young girl's future holds.


	9. Scenes from a Hat

_"Have you come to make a trade?"_

 _"Not a trade. It's... more like a white flag."_

 _"Conditional?"_

 _"Only a little. From what I understand... He's mine, here. But not... Well, you already know, don't you."_

 _"You have a request."_

:::

A boy sits at an older woman's side. He places a flower over her hand. She grasps it with knarled fingers.

Her Soul is old, refined, and delicately beautiful. She will play no Game. She will simply pass on, her song writing itself back into the melody that surrounds all life in Shibuya.

Another woman enters the room. She notices the boy, a little surprised to see him, but she too is old and he doesn't surprise her as much as he should. She sits by the dying woman, and takes her hand, wrapping her grasp around the flower as well.

The boy leans on her shoulder, until another boy comes to pick him up. They leave the women alone.

:::

A girl hides in an alleyway, out of sight.

She rises to the tip of one foot, and then the other. A small twirl, another twirl. A dip, a bow. A jump. She lifts her leg in the air and swings it around, as high as she can, and carries the momentum through herself, gliding straight into a backwards walk-over.

She moves. She moves with such fluidity, closing her eyes and hearing a tune only she can hear, that one can only describe her movement as dancing.

It feels so right.

:::

A man paints. It's a little different now. He struggles to paint, knowing what he is and what he has done. The colors, which once so bravely drew themselves to his brush, now fight him a little, treating him not as a longtime friend but, perhaps, as a stranger.

Then he'll just have to introduce himself again, the man tells himself. It will take a while, but one day, they'll be friends again. It's not the paint that needs to forgive him, after all.

Everybody who matters has already forgiven him, but he needs to forgive himself.

He starts by drawing wings.

:::

A boy picks up the violin, and its sweet hum rings out in the sewers of Shibuya.

The song is a lament.

:::

A young man and a woman of the same apparent age sit down together over bowls of ramen.

The young man grumbles into his ramen. He isn't entirely fond of recent changes, and though they might be temporary, they might also not be. Which makes him unhappy.

The young woman tells him he's taking things too seriously. This is good, she reminds him. He doesn't think she understands, but she does. He never gives her enough credit.

But that's alright. He might forget that she's a little more grown up now, but he never forgets that whatever else, he can count on her. If she says it's going to be fine, it probably will.

Sometimes he thinks he can trust her with his secrets, but most days, he knows he doesn't need to tell her at all. To some extent, she already knows.

:::

A boy and a girl lean against each other. The climax of the movie approaches. The boy worries that his breath tastes like popcorn. It's true, but the girl won't mind.

The music plays. The romantic, heartfelt scene of the movie shows, complete with touching reunion and, of course, the romantic kiss between the leads.

The boy squeezes the girl's hand softly. She sighs happily, turns, and pecks him on the lips.

He wonders how long they can keep this up before questions make things complicated.

She worries she's going to screw up.

:::

A man tugs at his bracelet, and slightly hates himself.

:::

A boy tells another boy to fuck off and leave him alone, but he's lying.

The other boy approaches him slowly. The sympathy in his face is mostly real. He puts a hand on the first boy's shoulder, and is pleased to find that he doesn't shrug it off immediately. So the other boy sits close to the first boy, and presses his face into the crevice between neck and shoulder.

I can't believe she's gone, the first boy mumbles, and the tears stream down his cheeks.

She's not gone, the second boy says, and he starts humming a tune under his breath. The first boy knows the tune all too well, and breaks down even more.

The second boy continues to hum the tune, and the first boy mourns deeply, and tries to latch on to the few notes that he can.

He mutters insults in the second boy's direction, anything and everything he can think of. It all translates to a simple thank you.

The world quiets, silenced by the pitter patter of soft rain. Tomorrow, it'll begin again. But not today.

:::

Two girls kiss, and pretend it never happened.

:::

A girl opens her mouth and begins to sing.

:::

A man pours a boy a cup of coffee, and charges him for every last cent. They exchange insults and news and gossip all at once, comfortable and cheery.

Phones dropped by, says the man.

The boy hums in acknowledgement, but otherwise doesn't reply.

:::

 _"Yes. It's not a big one, don't worry. Be kind, and don't begrudge me the time I have."_

 _"I can do that. I do, sometimes, have a heart."_

 _"Things wouldn't be this way if you didn't."_


	10. Charity

It takes me a while before I can gather the courage to head into the shops.

104 is just as bustling as ever. It starts to feel familiar after a few moments, and I start to relax. As always, 104 is all about the hustle and bustle of shoppers all looking for a good deal on the newest trends. There are some guys flipping through the men's section in Wild Boar, seeking a jacket that makes a statement or a pair of shorts that give their wardrobe the right kind of edge.

I wouldn't say nothing ever changes, but if anything stays the same, it's probably shoppers.

The cashiers recognize me, of course, and wave cheerfully. Being in and out as much as I was during the Game, not to mention with all the yen I cashed in from the Noise, it's impossible not to end up friends with most of them, even if the friendship only goes generally one way.

Hey, I'm not complaining. It nets me some pretty sweet deals, after all.

I want to broaden my horizons. Easier said than done, but this is a start, right here. During the game it was all about wearing what I needed to wear. Which shoes would keep me on my feet? What pair of slacks would get the least in the way? Now that I'm outside the game, I'm still in my old threads. Shiki keeps telling me to go out and change, and try something new.

This is my shot. Unfortunately, Shiki might have forgotten something, or if she did, she's already moving past it and ignoring the reality. Places like 104 are places I know well for a reason. It's not only the living who shop there. It's the dead too, and that's the problem.

Shiki can see a pair of Players and turn away back to her own business, refusing to let it bother her, but I just can't do that. I don't know why. Maybe because I remember too well that feeling that always lurked. Didn't matter if I was having the time of my life trying on a Pegaso suit - always, always there was a thought in my head, reminding me about the timer on my hand, and the Erasure that was always just one wrong turn away.

I avoided the bigger shops for a long time, but I gave in, finally. But I'm right.

It happens while I'm looking through a D+B rack, wondering if I could get something for Shiki. There's a new line of miniskirts I think she might like, and I'm tempted to grab her one. I know her size by now. So why not? I only need to pick the color I think will suit her best.

Then I hear them.

They're bickering with each other over time. They look about a year older than me, both of them. One girl, with the long brown hair, is saying they need to get going Udagawa already, but the other girl with the short dark hair disagrees.

"This might be our last chance to come back here. What if we're sent to the Underpass next? Or Cat Street?" she says. "We need to be prepared, Chiko!"

"We're not going to make it today if you don't move!"

I know they're Players instantly, like instinct, but yeah, the dialogue is also kind of a giveaway.

My hand dives into my pocket. As usual, there's a few pins in there. I pick one at random, and take it out. It's a Velocity Attack. Not half bad at all, and well suited to day four or five, which is probably what these two are on.

"Hey," you say, grabbing their attention. "Ladies."

"We're kind of busy right now," the girl called Chiko says, clearly annoyed.

"No, you're bickering," I reply calmly. "Look. How much time do you have left to get to Udagawa?"

They trade a glance, and answer. "An hour."

"That's not too bad. You have time to shop, if you're as good at fighting your enemies as you are with each other."

That one hits home. The pair of them wince slightly, but also frown at me in confusion, and wait to say more.

"Make your purchases in the next fifteen minutes and you'll probably be okay, assuming there isn't some kind of trap. If you're lucky, some other team will get there first and you won't have to make it there anyway."

The girl who isn't Chiko scowls. "Do you even know what you're talking about?"

I rub my forehead tiredly. "The Game is cruel," I say quietly. "But just because it's difficult, doesn't mean it can't be won. Trust your partner. Work together. Be creative. Find a way to resolve your differences and see things from your partner's point of view. It really helps." I toss the pin at Chiko, and she catches it, surprised. "I'm sorry I can't do anything more," I finish.

It's a little overwhelming. The girls are staring at me like I'm some kind of angel and I don't know how to react to that. I'm just a guy who cares. Guess that's rare in the UG, isn't it?

Most likely, it's rare because it hurts. Part of me understands that the game is necessary. The reports I got on my phone made that clear enough. It's all to refine and refurbish Souls, to keep Shibuya teeming with joy and imagination, yeah. But from the inside perspective, I still remember it too harshly. It puts humans to the test in the worst possible way, and it isn't fair. It can never be fair.

So to care means I get to worry about these girls. Will they make it? Will they come back to life, or be Erased? Will they join the Reapers? Their fate most likely points to Erasure. I've only known them for a few minutes, but that's all it takes for me to know.

It makes me sick. Everything about it.

Leaving the girls to their own fate, I find myself walking straight for a bathroom. I lean against the wall and put my head in my hands.

I've survived, I remind myself. And I can't avoid this. Every time I go shopping, it's going to happen. Get used to it, Neku. You can only do so much.

Sometimes I wish I could forget the UG. I remember then how much it changed me for the better. I remember how it taught me things I needed to know, and how it gave me friends, gave me an entire world to love and explore.

But this is one of those moments where remembering takes just a little longer. And it hurts. And it doesn't stop.


	11. One Step Forward

You snuggle into Neku's side, smiling.

You did it. You finally did it: you kissed him, properly on the lips and everything. His hand is still in yours and you are on top of the entire world. It's been heading this way for a while, or at least, you've been hoping it would. He's starting to know everything about you and you're starting to know everything about him, and with every little tidbit you can't help but fall the tiniest bit closer in love with him.

Not that you're in love with him, necessarily. But you wouldn't be surprised if things went that way, given how Neku's smile, the one he keeps just for you, makes your stomach flip itself over, or the way his simple presence erases any need to fill in silences or stumble over words.

You think it's the same for him too. You don't know, not completely. But you're pretty sure. You kissed him quietly and he didn't protest, and smiled, and that was a yes, right? Wasn't it?

He squeezes your hand again, as if he can tell you're worried. Your heartbeat is just a little too fast and your smile is wider than anything.

The rest of the movie doesn't even matter to you. Partially it registers that the lead and his girl head off happily into the sunset, but the majesty of the moment is entirely lost on you. Is that selfish of you? Well, maybe it is, but if so then you're entitled to a bit of selfishness for the moment. Definitely.

The credits start rolling. You close your eyes.

"Time to get up, Shiki."

"Too comfy," you murmur. Actually, you're not. It breaks your back just a bit to lean over, strains some muscles that would prefer not to be strained.

"Liar," replies Neku. "Come on. You can keep my hand if you want."

"For how long?"

"Long enough," he tells you vaguely. You can kind of hear him trying not to laugh.

You agree to his terms. You stretch out with your free arm, rising slowly to your feet. Neku is rolling his eyes, his mouth hidden beneath the collar of his shirt. Laughing at you, probably. You let him.

"Ah, much better!"

"I'm glad you're pleased," Neku says dryly. "So, what was the kiss for?"

"Because I wanted to," you answer. "Was it any good?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"What's that mean?"

"It was my first kiss. I don't know what to compare it to."

"Neku!" You scowl at him. "Don't be a brat."

He grins, the tips of his mouth peeking over his collar, finally. His eyes dance with amusement. "Sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how adorable you are."

You feel your cheeks grow red beyond belief. Was - was that flirting? Neku, flirting?

"Neku, if you're messing with me, you're going to pay," you threaten slowly.

He shrugs, still grinning just out of sight. "Pay what?"

"I'll show Beat the pictures I took of you in that Natural Puppy tanktop," you declare triumphantly. You don't have any such pictures on your phone, only memories, but it's still worth a threat.

Neku flushes just as brightly as you probably did just a moment ago. "You win."

"Of course I do." The satisfaction lasts for a moment, and then you duck your head. "Uh - just... um, checking, Neku."

"Yeah?"

"That was flirting, right?"

"I think it was."

"So... does that mean... Um..."

"That... we're... um... going out?"

"Yeah, that."

"Are we?"

"Do you want to?"

"Well, you kissed me and... I didn't complain."

"So... can I kiss you again?"

"Only if you'll be my girlfriend," Neku blurts. It almost comes out as one single smashed-up word.

"And you're my boyfriend," you reply just as quickly. This is ridiculous and stupid and your entire brain is fluttering. It's stupid teenage infatuation and you feel like you're on the moon.

"Yeah," he says. He lifts his head a little, smiling shyly. But Neku is Neku - he gets lost in his thoughts, but he doesn't get caught up so much that he forgets where he is. He glances around. The two of you are still standing up in an awkwardly almost empty movie theater. You'd almost forgotten. "...Wanna bounce?"

You nod. He starts walking out of the aisle and your hand is still in his, _your hand is still in his_.

Neku's your boyfriend. It's a scary word and a brilliant one. You'll have to get used to it, you think excitedly.

You barely even notice as Neku guides you outside, and you only snap out of your silly stupor when you walk outside and realise it's become chilly as the night has worn on. A shiver escapes you.

"Cold?"

"A bit. I brought a jacket, though," you remember. You unzip your bag and pull it out, smiling.

"Oh. Uh, good." Neku looks a bit off-balance. You think you know him well enough by now to make a guess.

You giggle. "Neku, were you planning to be chivalrous and give me your coat or something?"

"No?" he squeaks. You laugh, shrugging your coat on easily.

"You don't need to treat me like a princess," you inform him. "Just treat me... well."

"Shiki, I barely know how to do that for friends," he says plainly. Looks down and tucks his free hand into his pocket. "So if I mess up... can you tell me why, at least?"

That he cares so much to say that, simply and honestly, already tells you that this is a good choice, for both of you.

"I'll do my best," you promise. You swing your hands together, smiling. "...Wanna kiss?"

"Um..."

"I suggested it. That means I want you to kiss me, Neku."

It's awkward and stupid and kind of hilarious the way he tries to kiss you, just leaning forward, a bundle of nerves and delight and everything else, a bottle of cola all shaken up. Hopefully, he'll get better with time, and so will you.

Is it bad if you can't kiss because you're too busy smiling, laughing, being happy?

(Probably not.)


	12. Shown a Dream

Neku picks up his phone on his walk back from school, which is a little odd. He only gets texts and messages, usually, even from his mother. Nobody bothers to call him - nobody, that is, except...

"Yo!"

"Beat? What's going on?"

"Uh... I kinda need your help, Phones."

"What kind of help?"

"It's Rhyme, man. I was supposed to look after her today after school. Go out and take her somewhere or whatever. But I can't."

Neku frowns, and stops walking to lean against the nearest building. "Why not?"

"I gotta thing to do. It's important. Can you take care of her? Just until dinnertime. I'll even take you out somewhere after, my treat, but you just gotta help me out, yo."

 _Trust your partner,_ says some insistent and sometimes annoying part of Neku's mind. He sighs.

"Fine," he agrees at last. "Am I picking Rhyme up from school, then?"

"Yeah, I owe you one! Thanks!" Beat hangs up before Neku has a chance to ask anything else that might be important. Okay, so he can't think of anything important to ask, but still, it's the principle of the thing.

Oh, well, It just means he'll have to do some of his math homework a little bit later than intended. No problem. Rhyme and Beat are his friends. The least he can do is help out when they need it.

It doesn't take Neku long to reach Rhyme's school. All the other kids have left by now, leaving Rhyme alone, clinging slightly to the gate. He knows the troubled look on her face. He's worn it himself a few times, waiting and hoping for somebody to come by and take him home.

When Neku gets close enough, he raises his voice a little and says, "Hey!"

Rhyme perks up, turns, and finally smiles to see him. "Neku!"

"Sorry I'm late. Beat only just called me and said he couldn't make it."

"Do you know why he isn't here? I thought we were going to hang out after school together," Rhyme says, frowning a little at Neku. "It's not like him to break that promise."

Neku shrugs. "He sounded fine to me, but he wouldn't tell me what he was up to. So I guess we're going to hang out for a few hours until we meet him for dinner."

"You don't have to do that!" says Rhyme. She waves her hands at him in alarm. "I'll be fine on my own!"

"Don't be silly. I don't have anything better to do, and it'll be fun." He does, depending on the word better. He could be doing homework, or calling up Shiki, or looking for some more pins, or even trying to sit down and talk to his mom (and failing). But his world is a bit wider than that right now, and once again it knows the look on Rhyme's face all too well. It reeks of feeling abandoned, but not wanting to trouble anybody to take care of her. Yeah, Neku is familiar with that. Damned if he's going let this girl, one he considers to be something like a little sister, feel that way for long.

"Sure?"

"Promise. What do you want to do?"

Rhyme's replying smile could probably brighten an entire city for a week.

And so Neku is dragged off to the shops for today.

:::

A few memories:

Neku and Rhyme looking through a candy store. Rhyme holding up a giant lollipop and adopting a lazy look on her face. Neku snickering and wondering if Kariya's around. Neku trying to find water after eating a red hot cinnamon flavored sweet. Rhyme purchasing a small bag of candy, to share with friends, and Neku being convinced to purchase the giant lollipop.

Rhyme pointing out a new CAT design on a wall - the first in a while. Neku cheery, but also absently desiring to bash his head against a wall. Random spectators looking curiously at the graffiti and the headphones design around which it appears to be based.

A stop at a toy store. Neku and Rhyme looking through a collection of stuffed animals, and chuckling at a black pig resembling a certain cat. Rhyme hugging a small hedgehog-shaped plushie. Neku crossing his arms and grumbling as Rhyme, on tiptoe, reaches up and puts a stuffed little wolf on his head.

Heading over to the musical instrument section. Rhyme playing a silly beat on the drum while Neku plays the tiny bit of piano he knows. A horrible rendition of twinkle twinkle little star.

Neku and Rhyme passing Hachiko, and each giving its nose a fond pat. Neku, quietly slipping a Pop Pendulum pin behind it.

Neku and Rhyme at a small park, relaxing in the afternoon sunshine. Rhyme falling back into the grass, using her backpack as a pillow. Neku sitting down beside her. Rhyme jumping when a dog barks loudly, and Neku laughing at her slightly. An ensuing backpack-style pillow fight.

Then:

:::

They finally settle down, giggles subsiding into content smiles. It feels like having a real sister, and just having a day out with her. It's fun. Part of him protests - this isn't his place. It's Beat's. But then he remembers that this is how Beat and Rhyme are every day. Maybe it's okay to be selfish and enjoy just one day out of so many.

"Can I ask you a question?" Rhyme begins.

"Sure."

"Your entry fee. It was your memories, yeah? Were they really that precious?"

Neku has to think about that for a moment. It's not something he's really considered that much. Of course memories are important, right?

"...I don't know. I guess, at the time, they were all I had."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I didn't have any friends. The one friend I used to have, well, he was gone. I used to be good at art, but I'd lost my muse. My mother... tried, but she couldn't help me. I was in a bad place. Hated people. Hated everything. Shut it all out. You know what I was like. So I guess the memories reminded me why I was that way, and reminded me who I was, and... and sometimes they were important things. Memories of a time when the world was simple and I actually liked it. They were more important then than now, though."

"I'm glad you've changed," Rhyme says simply. "I like this Neku much better."

Neku smiles slightly. "So do I. What about you? I never did find out what your entry fee was."

Rhyme doesn't reply.

"Did I ask something wrong?"

"...I haven't told anybody what my entry fee was. Not even Beat," Rhyme confesses quietly.

"Was it your dreams?" Neku asks, just as quiet. "During the game, I remember Shiki asked you if you had any dreams. You said you didn't."

"That was a polite lie."

"A lie?"

Rhyme sighs. "Neku, will you keep it a secret if I tell you?"

"Of course. Promise."

"Even from Beat?"

"If you really want me to, then sure."

"Okay. I lied to Shiki because I did have a dream. My entry fee was the ability to reach it."

"Do you still have the dream? You did get your entry fee back, right?"

"I did, but it's still secret." Rhyme sighs. "It's a really stupid dream, that's the problem. I... I like dancing."

Neku doesn't know how to reply. Luckily, Rhyme continues anyway.

"It's stupid. I'm good at math. I like science. I don't mind writing all kinds of things. I like doing well in school and everything. My mom and dad have hopes that I'm going to grow up and be brilliant someday, maybe run a business or make a lot of money as a scientist or something, but I don't care about any of that. All I want to do is dance. Nobody makes money for dancing. Not unless they do other things as well. I'm young, but even I know better than that. There's no way my parents will ever let me do what I want, so even though it's my dream, it's not going to happen."

"Rhyme, that's..."

"Why I haven't told Beat or mom or dad. When we were in the Game, they took away my ability to dance. I became a complete klutz. I was worse than useless, Neku. Beat at least had his skateboarding, and not only that, but he was so selfless that our relationship was his price. And I'm selfish enough that being unable to have a dream that I won't even complete was mine."

"I'm sorry," Neku says. He doesn't know what he's apologizing for, but he feels like it needs to be said.

"It's okay. I'm okay with it." Rhyme is clearly lying, but Neku won't call her out on it. He notes to himself again just how mature Rhyme is for her age. He wonders if she's really right, about it being useless. Neku isn't sure.

He does have a question, though. "Can I see you dance? Not now, just sometime. Eventually."

"Sure. But only if you keep your promise."

"Hey, I already said I would!"

So Neku learns a bit more about the mystery of Rhyme.

:::

Later Beat picks them up. He doesn't tell either of them why he had to skip out on Rhyme, but Rhyme seems to know. Neku won't ask. It's not his business. But maybe sometime later he'll find out.

Dinner with friends tastes good.


	13. Career Options

I think it's time for a change.

Phones is doing well. It's great, seeing it, actually. The kid's gone and sprung right up in front of my very eyes. I remember when he nearly killed his partner - all I could think was how badly everything was going to go from the start. This kid was going nowhere and everywhere at once. Some of the brightest Imagination I'd ever seen, and zero outlet for it. No sense of human interaction, just all that brilliance festering away in a boy who could only think in negatives.

And then there's this Phones, the new and improved model. He's doodling away at the desk, a coffee next to his notebook, no longer steaming. He's got this little half-smile on this face. Whatever he's drawing, you just know he loves it with all he's got.

I saw him change throughout the Game. His Soul is so refined that I'd be scared if I didn't know I could trust Neku just as much as any one of his partners can. Does he know he's going places? When Neku leaves the RG for good, he's not just going to get erased or dispersed. I don't think the very fabric of his being would even _let_ him. He's going to be a Reaper. Maybe something more. Should be pretty fun.

But he's got a lot to give here first. And I can see it. He's content to doodle in sketchbooks, but he wants to be _seen_. He's a voice clashing against all the other voices around them, and he wants them to pause a sec and listen.

His style's good, and I think he's ready to get a wider audience. Hell, he's even begun to code a few messages into his style, whether he knows it or not. Can't help but wonder if that's my influence, or if it's just Neku on his own. Maybe both.

So, I ask.

"Hey, Neku."

He looks up instantly. "Yeah?"

"I'm about to close up shop for a bit. You going home, or you want to tag along?" Note to self: never pun that badly again.

"Tag along?" Phones perks right up with interest at that. Now I've got him.

"Just doing a little something. Thought you might like to join me, if you don't have anything better to be doing."

Neku shakes his head. "I'm just drawing. Where are you going?"

"You'll find out," I promise with a mischievous grin. It elicits a frown from Neku, but he still closes his notebook softly and puts his pencil back into his pocket without a second thought. I start bouncing around the room here and there, tidying up a few things, and grabbing a bag tucked away in the corner of the room. Half of it's just for show. Neku is a fun kid to irritate now and then; ask anybody who's known him for more than a minute or two and they'll agree.

Finally, he's leaning against the wall and tapping his foot. I'll give him a break. "Alright, all set. Go on, out!" I turn out the light while he leaves the premises. With a quick flip of the sign on the door, the shop now declares that it is "CLOSED." A lock of the door and we're free to go.

"Where to?" Neku asks. "Somewhere in Shibuya, I hope?"

"Nah. I was planning to drag you over to Harajuku and throw you to the rabid cosplayers."

"Terrifying. I never knew you could be such a heartless backstabber, Mr. H."

"I dabble," I reply. There's a bit of tension in my voice that escapes, but I don't think Neku's trained enough to notice it the way Josh would. It's nice having a pal around who doesn't know my every cue and mannerism by heart. The fact that his words hit a bit close to home doesn't even register with him. It's alright. I'm moving past it.

"What's in the bag?" Neku asks. Clever kid.

"Tools of the trade. We're heading a bit past Dogenzaka, this little alleyway off of Pork City." I can't help but laugh a bit at that. J doesn't usually appreciate it when I get up in his territory like that, or so he says. One time he actually growled at me for it. Pretty hilarious. He's chilled a bit since then, of course. I just had to keep reminding him that all of Shibuya was his territory, not just specific people or places. Still wonder if he'll ever get that message.

Neku rolls his eyes. "What trade is that?"

"What do you think? Come on, Phones. Figure it out yourself."

It takes him a moment or two to put the pieces together: we're going out at night to some obscure part of the city with the tools of my trade. CAT's trade. The moment he figures it out is tangible. Neku literally stops in place and almost falls over when somebody behind him bumps into his side. I keep walking. I can tell he's staring without even turning back or looking. Heh, guess he wasn't expecting that.

"Now you've got it!" I quip cheerfully. "Took you long enough."

Neku jogs to catch back up to me, and then asks, bewildered, "You're tagging something?"

"Wrong again, Phones. _We're_ tagging something. Although actually I was planning more of a throw-up."

It's kind of hilarious to see his step falter again. He recovers more swiftly from this little landmine, but still doesn't seem like he can quite believe it.

"Throw-up?"

"Just a quickie. Normally I go by myself, so if the piece I'm on gets discovered before I'm done, I have ways to just slip away. Not so easy with you along, so we'll make this trip short, but it shouldn't be a problem."

"So I'm going to be doing graffiti art with CAT. That's what you're saying."

"Pretty much!"

"But I can't..."

I make sure to cut him off then and there. "Of course you can. I wouldn't have asked you along if I didn't think you'd be any good at it, Neku."

"I - okay, maybe I won't be that bad, but doesn't it, I don't know, hurt your rep or something? Even if I end up pretty good, I'm nowhere near your level."

"True, but the difference is that you've got the potential," I tell him. Might as well keep it straight. "Anybody worthy of respect in this town will recognize that in your work, Phones. No shame in taking on an apprentice, of sorts. Besides - everybody's been getting too complacent with me. They think they can expect my legal stuff and look forward to my less legal works. Tagging along with a friend'll shake the city a bit, and that's always fun."

His eyes are all wide and innocent. It's kind of precious. "You've thought a lot about this."

"I've had it on my mind since you first walked into my cafe from the RG. You're going to be great at whatever you do. I just figured, if you'd let me, I'd like to lend a helping hand until you get there. And I decided to surprise you for a couple of reasons. First, it's fun. Second, you learn better on the fly. That's about it."

Neku goes a bit quiet after that. I think I shocked him, but that's fine. He's only just figuring himself out, after all. All it takes is time and practice, and the sooner he understands just how big he could be, the brighter his art will shine - not just for him, or me, but for everybody in Shibuya, inspiring whole new generations to go out and live their own dreams.

The rest of our little walk he stays silent. I don't mind in the least. If nothing else, it's a bit of an ego-stroke to know he's still got that kind of hero worship for me, at least a little bit, even knowing what I am.

When we get there, I drop the bag. Neku stands back a bit while I pull out some paint. I've only got a few colors, but that's probably all we'll need. It's riskier bringing Neku along for more than just the fact that he's new at this. Normally, if I get spotted, I can just tune up to the UG and it's like I was never there. With Neku, I don't have that easy little escape route to use.

"Grab a can," I say, gesturing. "Paint something. Anything that strikes your fancy. You can hash out a decent name and a tag for yourself later. For now, just show off that you've got vision. Got it?"

"I think you're crazy," Neku replies, but he's starting to smile a bit.

"Only think? Not sure?" I toss him the black spray can. I already have the design I'm going to try for worked out, as usual, but it'll be fun to see what Neku can do on the fly.

We drop the banter then and get to work. He watches me for a moment, and I don't mind. Gives him a chance not only to see CAT at work up close but a chance to see how the paint works its magic on the wall, how to form lines and shapes.

I go for something simple. Black, white and red do the trick just fine. This little smock is going to mirror my other most recent piece. I last did a little doodle of Neku's old headphones, lying on the ground, unused. This one's a bit more personal, in some ways: I'm making Megumi's headphones instead.

Block out the red, a bit of white for detail... It isn't hard for me to translate the image I want to reality. The strokes just fly right through my head, coded and ready to bring out all emotions I need in this little piece. Neku's were hope, and freedom from thought. These headphones are more a lament. I didn't know Megumi well, but I knew him through Josh's stories, and that was more than enough to give me a picture of what he had done for Shibuya. A lament, then, and a warning. A reminder of what can happen when you forget what made you love the world in the first place.

At some point, Neku starts doing his thing beside me. I don't bother looking and won't until I'm done. So far, there aren't any policemen around. Always nice when that happens. It means I can take my time and get the shadow on the headphones just right.

With a quick CAT scribble in the corner, I'm done. I step back, tossing the can back into my bag, and finally glance over at Neku. Hey, he's almost done, too, and it looks pretty good.

It's hard to describe. The style is pretty abstract, and the details are a little bit shaky, but it's not half bad. It's an overexaggerated skyline of Shibuya, cut in two by some kind of orange river, with song notes flying out of it. I'll have to check some of the gritty details another time, but it's definitely inspiring. Shibuya, broken over by music. Not half bad at all. The fact that it depicts the Shibuya River of all things carrying that song says a whole mess of things about Neku that I might get into later. I'll bet Phones doesn't even know what the River properly is, he just knows it's important in the UG and wanted to make it sing.

Hah. Bet J'll get a kick out of it, assuming he doesn't mope about everything instead.

"Gonna sign it?" I ask him.

"Yeah. Can't think of anything."

I grin. "Could just go by Phones, Phones."

"Screw you. I'm trying to think."

"Don't hurt yourself overthinking it!"

Finally, he figures something or other out. He makes a quick, stylized "P" in the corner of his doodle.

"Not bad. What's it stand for?"

"You'll find out when I've figured out how I want my signature to look," Neku says. The little smirk means he's pleased with himself and whatever it is he's come up with.

"Show-off. You're not in the major leagues yet, Phones. Remember that. Now, toss that can back and we'll skedaddle. Sound good?"

Neku nods. He has that little content smile on his face again. I don't know that he's got the drive for graffiti that I quite do, but I have a feeling he's definitely going to have some fun with it from time to time. Good thing, too. I've always thought talent like his should be shared.

We walk back to Cat Street casually. Neku gets more excited with every step, knowing his artwork is out there for anybody to see. I know the feeling. Within a few days, in this town, anybody who knows anything about CAT will be utterly bubbling with the news about the mysterious "P" working with him. Should be a blast.

Hell, I'm a bit excited too. Haven't been this excited about my art in a long time, actually, and that's good. Shows how much I've been slipping, but it shows I'm coming back a bit too.

Just hope Josh doesn't skin me for ruining his precious wall again. For a Composer who loves messing with people so much, you'd think he'd be a little less prissy and a little more impressed by alternative art styles, you know? What a nut.


	14. This Does Not Qualify As Interference

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time skip - back to a canonical moment. It's not hard to figure out which.

Seven minutes.

When a Player's partner gets erased, that's how long they have to live, more or less. It depends, of course, on the density of their soul and the extent to which the Player relied on and cared about their partner at the time of erasure, but seven minutes is a good general guideline.

Which means I have about four minutes left.

"Where we goin'?" the boy asks me grudgingly.

"Cat Street. I have a cafe there. Within its walls, you'll be safe."

"Safe? I ain't carin' about -"

"Safety is your first concern," I cut in immediately. "Look at your hands. Are they translucent yet?"

The yell of surprise confirms my suspicion. Beat doesn't have long. His Soul is strong, but he cared a lot about Rhyme, and the bond between them ran deep.

"Don't be concerned about that right now. When Rhyme fell, something else fell as well. An object."

"Yeah, so?"

"I need it."

"What? No way! This is hers!"

"Which is exactly why I need it. I can help you, Beat, and maybe we can do something about Rhyme, but you have to trust that I know what I'm doing."

In another Game, another day, maybe I wouldn't do this. But this game is simply too crucial. I can't just turn a blind eye during this game, where the Players have no chance, where the Conductor and the Composer are pulling strings that don't exist. It's simple, kind people like the Bito siblings who suffer when gods play games and roll their dice.

"...Yeah, she dropped her necklace."

I order him to give it to me. By now, we're passing J of the M. He hands over a small necklace in the shape of the bell. Already I can tell it's going to be enough to pull off a little thing just short of a miracle.

I can't interfere in the Game. That's the rules. Bringing back a Player to life definitely falls in the realm of interference, but saving one, and keeping him safe until things in Shibuya return to normal - and so help me, whatever it takes, I swear that they _will_ return to normal - that's within my limits. If anybody wants to argue, they can go ahead and take it up with me.

"Get in the cafe," I tell Beat, opening the door. He's starting to fade already, but I can see he's holding on through sheer perseverance. "Whatever happens next, don't tell anybody about what I've done. Got it?"

"Just do it already, whatever it is!"

Ha, now that's an order I can take. Shutting the door to WildKat behind me, I put the pendant on the counter. I can't flip to the UG, but I can look at it - and I can see her through the pendant, through the code, and through Beat's memories. Rhyme - her entire being, her spirit -

and I condense it, squeeze it, take that code and that Soul and _force_ it to reform into a shape familiar and new at once. The most basic essence of Rhyme. Not quite human. Instead -

Noise. The pin falls into my hand. To Beat, it probably looks as if it materialized out of thin air in a flash of light. Certainly, the look he gives me would suggest as much.

"Take this." I toss the pin at him. "Release the Noise. Form a pact!"

He's nearly gone. "Wha?"

"Just do it!"

Beat frowns in determination. For a moment, I think it isn't going to happen - and really, it shouldn't happen, normally, but these circumstances are far from normal. It does. The Noise appears before Beat, and he reaches out to it with barely-visible fingertips.

Blue light shines. I let myself collapse against the counter.

When the light show stops, Beat is solid again, staring at the little Noise before him.

"...Rhyme?" he asks.

The danger has passed. They're going to make it. I can feel how the use of power taxed me now, but I'll be alright. If I were trying to revive Rhyme to the UG or the RG, I'd be passing out by now, given that I had done it from the RG. The Noise plane is much easier, but that doesn't mean it's effortless.

"It's Rhyme," I confirm tiredly. "Not in her usual form, obviously, but it's better than erasure. This way, there's a chance she can be restored."

"How?"

"Not by me. There's only one person who can bring her back completely," I lie. "That's the Composer. Stay here for a few weeks and don't leave the cafe, and I can ensure you'll meet him and that you and Rhyme will be given another chance."

Beat goes silent. I think he finally recognizes what I've done for him, if not the full ramifications of the matter, or what it means for my level of power. Beat is not the brightest bulb in the lamp, but his heart more than makes up for it, at least.

"Thank you," he says quietly.

"Anytime." I groan, stretching out. I'm going to need a good sleep soon. "...Want a coffee?"

The Noise crawls up to his shoulder, and Beat smiles slightly. "Nah. S'alright."

This could go very wrong, but I think, this time, the reward is worth the risk.


End file.
